CBCP tells Noynoy to implement mining moratorium

A Catholic Church official urged President-elect Sen. Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III to impose a moratorium on mining once he assumes office. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) National Secretariat for Social Action (Nassa) also pushed for a review of mining policies. "This is our call for President Noynoy. This is a big problem and it’s not true that mining brought development to communities where mining operations are present," CBCP Nassa executive secretary Fr. Edwin Gariguez said in a Church-organized forum on mining. Gariguez said moratorium means taking a break from mining activities, and “this we mean all mining operations," he said. Excerpts of the forum statement were posted on the CBCP news site. Gariguez, who had long years working for the promotion of the rights of indigenous communities, also called for changes in the mining policy. He said the current national policy favors foreign corporations and focuses on uncontrolled entry of investments, unmindful of the environment and the rights and well-being of the affected communities. Unfortunately, he said the outgoing Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration had even pushed the lopsided policy to the brink, “putting the lives of many people at risk." He noted the country’s vast mineral reserves have revitalized global interest of mining companies in the country. Geological studies show that up to 7.1 billion tons of metals could still be extracted and another 51 billion tons of non-metallic minerals can be mined in the Philippines. As of 2008, more than half a million hectares of Philippine land have been turned over by the government to the control of mining companies. Gariguez lamented that policy recommendations the CBCP has been proposing on mining have been ignored. — LBG, GMANews.TV